The overheating was first noted in Apple support forums. Soon, though, writers at several tech publications -- PC World, Wired, Le Journal Du Geek and The Telegraph -- began to notice the problems on their own phones. The Le Journal Du Geek writer posted pictures of a white phone and noticed that the overheating was so severe that it colorized the plastic. The heat tended to turn the case pink or brown.

Now, Apple has at last issued a response and it is assigning the blame for the problem on its users' behavior, sunlight, and on the seasons. Apple says that leaving the device in a car on a hot day is one possible culprit causing its phone to overheat. Apparently, like a vampire the phone is no friend of the sun -- Apple states that "leaving it in direct sunlight for extended amounts of time" may cause it to overheat.

Apple lists the use of "GPS tracking in a car on a sunny day or listening to music while in direct sunlight" as two particularly dangerous operations.

According to Apple the following problems are the result of the iPhone's overheating:

The device stops charging

Display dims

Weak cellular signal

Temperature warning screen appears with the message "iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it" (see image below)

Apple says that the iPhone is only meant to operate at temperatures between 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F) and be stored at temperatures between -20º and 45º C (-4º to 113º F). Unfortunately, this is much lower than the temperatures experienced in much of the American South and Southwest.

Based on Apple's stance it seems there's no immediate solution for iPhone owners. Apple seems unwilling to agree that its hardware needs revision to deal with the problem, instead assigning the blame elsewhere -- the sun, heat, and summer weather. And that means as summer temperatures heat up, users are left to prepare for the worst -- their phones beginning to fail.

"We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk." -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs